Spring Hill considering condemning property

Thursday

Nov 14, 2013 at 11:57 AM

SPRING HILL — City officials are considering condemning a property located off Beechcroft Road to build a water tank that would serve properties in The Crossings as well as the new Maury Regional Medical Center.

SPRING HILL — City officials are considering condemning a property located off Beechcroft Road to build a water tank that would serve properties in The Crossings as well as the new Maury Regional Medical Center.

The city wanted to build the tank before the medical center was built, so that water pressure would be better maintained as that area grows, City Administrator Victor Lay said. But officials did not budget the $1.5 million needed for the project until this fiscal year.

Now, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen is charged with deciding to condemn the property, which allows the city to take it for public use, or to build the tank in a new location.

City staff originally identified a location for the tank in Hardins Landing subdivision, located between Miles Johnson Parkway and Port Royal Road. However, the developer of that property has not approved an easement allowing the city to build the tank.

"The only way we’re going to do that is to offer a large sum of money to buy it or go through condemnation proceedings," Lay said.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen told city staff Tuesday to reach out to the Hardins Landing developer one more time before deciding to condemn the land or build the tank in a new location.

Court processes to condemn the property would take more than a year, City Attorney Patrick Carter said, thus pushing the construction date further away. But building the tank at another site selected by staff would cost the city an extra $275,000.

City staff said they want to build the tank sooner rather than later to prevent new businesses and homes built in the area from losing water pressure.

On Oct. 16, a water pipe in The Crossings broke, and restaurants in the shopping complex lost water while city employees tried to fix it, Utilities Director Dan Allen said. He added that it took a while before water pressure was back to normal.

"If there was a line break near the medical center, it could shut it down," Lay said.